How To Properly Bathe Your Dog

[Miss B]

I think I'm washing my dog the right way :D

Step 1: Phone and book grooming appointment.

Step 2: Drop dog off at groomer's.

Step 3: Pay.

Step 4: Collect beautiful clean pooch.

Hey! Someone who does it exactly the same as I do! Those crazy sibe owners huh?

Just had Minook hydrobathed at work today.... she looks and smells be-ootiful

[Bully]

Pele is our 3rd Bull Terrier. They've all been bathed weekly (inside dogs), and Jessie and now Pele also swim at the beach every day. I've never had any skin problems. I also use warm water. I also use a hair-dryer in winter and Pele just loves that

This is what I've learned from experience. It was suggested to wet the dog all over and start at the head. Nup, big mistake there :-) You're gonna get wet big time I wet the head area first, shampoo, clean ears and rinse that and then dry. If she shakes, there's only a wet head to wet you and surrounding areas, in our case the laundry - not the whole body :D

After the head, then wet the rest of the body and give a good shampoo and rinse. Most dogs seem to shake if the head is wet and it gets in ears. I get most of the water off with one of those chamois and then make sure that she's completely covered in a towel before I lift her out of the laundry trough and she shakes

Works for us

[~Anne~]

Maybe you should all go back and read that article again.

Since when did dogs have pores in their skin ?.

Isn't this the reason they don't sweat through their skin ?.

Now that's a thought! Although, sweat is produce in glands isn't it... not pores??? Dogs sweat from theor feet I am sure...

[oakway]

Maybe you should all go back and read that article again.

Since when did dogs have pores in their skin ?.

Isn't this the reason they don't sweat through their skin ?.

Now that's a thought! Although, sweat is produce in glands isn't it... not pores??? Dogs sweat from theor feet I am sure...

You and I sweat through the pores in our skin.

Dogs do not have pores in their skin.

Dogs sweat through panting and through their feet.

[oakway]

After grooming dogs for nearly 40 years I have learned a few things, you cannot get a dog properly clean washing in water that is too cool. I can pre set my temp and do all the dogs at 38c in winter and 37c in summer. I do not use full strength shampoo on the body ( only the feathering). Why anybody would use their fingernails to wash a dog is a mystery to me ( do we scratch our own scalps clean? no we massage with the balls of the fingers) It doesn't matter if you wash the hair in a different direction, that is absolute rubbish lol. Really the most important thing to me is thorough and continual rinsing until all trace of shampoo etc has gone. My dogs presentations have always been highly commended by Specialty judges and never have skin problems (never even seen the pimple things referred to earlier ) Also washing every week is not a problem if done correctly.

:D

[kyliegirl]

I guess people mistake what tepid means..

tepid - moderately warm; "he hates lukewarm coffee"; "tepid bath water"

lukewarm

warm - having or producing a comfortable and agreeable degree of heat or imparting or maintaining heat; "a warm body"; "a warm room"; "a warm climate"; "a warm coat"

we must remember the body heat froma dog is different to the human, especially with the extra fur. And because they cannot sweat through pores their body would heat up faster than a humans, having their paws in the water doesnt help either as they sweat through their tongue and feet.

I believe the meaning of pores opening on the dogs skin is actually about the hair openings on the dogs skin. Dogs constantly regrow and shed hair and in these cases would mean the hair pores would be opening up to release the hairs, the pores around these hairs also release natural oils called sebaceous glands, the more hairs on an animals body the more sebaceous glands they have that create this substance. Even though dogs dont sweat they still have movements in the skin which adapt to certain temperatures, warm water would heat the dogs skin causing it to slightly swell and open up the hair pores letting soap and water in. You may think that by opening up it means to open up like a flower, but it only needs to be the slightest microscopic opening to create a difference. It can also interfere with hair growth causing ingrown hairs or you could cause pimples from having too hot water and not washing the skin properly.

just because dogs cant sweat doesnt mean they dont have pores and it doesnt mean their body isnt trying to regulate it by other means. A dog pants when its body overheats, but their tongue and paws arent the only things that cool them down, even though they dont sweat their hair follicles would open up to "Air out" as another cooling mechanism. Every animal has pores on their skin, its how they have fur. They just dont have the sweat glands IN the pores.

how do you think dogs get mange? the parasites burrow into their pores in their skin.

heres some info on dog skin to help some of you guys if your curious

http://www.bullterrierworld.com/Skincare.html

Edited June 20, 2008 by kyliegirl

[sumosmum]

I think dogs do have pores in their skin. Isn't that where the natural oils are secreted from?

[StormyroxTan]

hi

dogs do have pores,

Most of dogs sweat glands are on their pads: Dogs do not produce sweat for thermoregulation. However, they do have

sweat glands, called apocrine glands, associated with every hair follicle

on their body. The exact function of these is not known, but it is

suspected that these are meant to produce pheromones or chemical signals

for communication with other dogs. These sweat secretions probably produce

an individual odor signal that is recognizable by other dogs and their tongues allow the water from their bodies to evaporate and cool down their bodies.

Im a groomer in training and i have been taught and agree with rinsing is a very important part of the bathing process why spend time thoughly massaging the shampoo and trying to get the dirt out if your not going to properly rinse the dog !,i will always use a soap free ph balanced shampoo much better for the dogs coat and doesn't wash the frontline/advantix off!!

Hydrosurge is a new way of bathing looks great im getting mine in august

tanya

[kaywoman68]

I wash my dogs in warm water too. I don't see why my dogs have to have cold baths/showers when I don't. I don't have a set 'time' to wash them. I wash them when I reckon they're smelly or they're dirty. Generally it would be about once a month. I have't had any skin problems with Orson and Oi at all. The only problem I have is they like to 'dry' themselves by rubbing on my bedsheets and curtains

[Greytmate]

If we were reading instructions from somebody on how to correctly wash our own hair we would probably take it with a grain of salt. We know how to wash our own hair and we don't care if we do it differently to how the instructions tell us to do it.

I think many of us know how to wash our dog too, but the instructions might come in handy for somebody that doesn't know.

[dogcop]

When using my hydrobath:

I always use warm water and I always start at the dogs paws and gently work up the body. I have always done this because I was informed that a dog that died as a result of being washed in cold water. I also believe that this dog had been given anesthetic tab to be washed (one of those dangerous labradores ) Because I used to travel up to Bright and do mobile washes up there I always used warm water as the cold mountain water coming from the tap was colder than ice !! even in summer.

I also find that most shampoo's work much better in warmer water. As for lathering up I have noticed if you use the same amount of soap to wash a dirty dog then use the same amount to wash a dog that you know is clean, the soap will lather up more because there is nothing for it to work on, thus allowing me to cut back on the amount of soap required to wash the dog. i.e if the soap is lathering up excessively I cut the amount back.

As for the skin irritation thing and the application. Well I have been washing my own hair WRONG all my life.

I'm not suprised by people being silent whilst this guy was speaking for it isnt what he was saying it was how he was saying it made it sound so plausible. His ability in public speaking far exceeds his ability to be taken totally seriously about washing dogs. His name wasn't Dr. TEXLER was it ?

[~Myschafis~]

My reference is to sibes only.

With there coat I have ALWAYS been instructed by people in the breed for years and years to always use warm water as it gets their coat out.

I have followed these instructions and not had one coat issue.

I can't say I agree with them really.

I have washed the way I do the whole life of my dogs and not an issue at all.

[~Myschafis~]

As an after thought...

Perhaps the reason why, me, and many 'showies' don't get as many skin issues, is because we have dogs from selective breedings which try's to eliminate such issues. And if skin irratations were going to happen in our dogs due to incorrect bathing, perhaps any shampoo/soap/product residue is blasted out when we blow dry the crap out of our dogs.

Just a thought ?

[Miranda]

Hmmm I can't say I'm impressed with the article and I disagree with a lot of it. However all my dogs have beautiful coats.

[~Anne~]

I have just learnt a very good lesson this weekend about skin irritants.... lemon essence irritates skin!

My husband kindly bathed the dogs for me while I was testing out my new Dyson vaccum and he used some lesson essence in their bath thinking it would make them smell fresh.... he bought them all down stairs and commented to me that two of them must have had small cuts on their feet and the lemon might be stining it as they were both suddenly holding their feet up.

I took one look and could see all three weren't feeling comfortable and thought straight away that perhaps it had irritated their skin. I used the shower hose to rinse them all again but they were still in obviosu discomfort, particularly Monte. When I looked at hisunderside he was all red under his arms.

I rang David, my Vet, and he suggested filling the bath up with tepid water and let them sit in it for up to 10 minutes. Thankfully after I had done this they were fine.

Lesson learnt - lemon essence may be fine to add to the wash and to clean things with... but don't put it in the dogs bath water!!

Edited June 22, 2008 by PugRescueSydney

[Colliewood]

I have just learnt a very good lesson this weekend about skin irritants.... lemon essence irritates skin!

REALLY!!!

commented to me that two of them must have had small cuts on their feet and the lemon might be stining it as they were both suddenly holding their feet up.

NO!!!

Lesson learnt - lemon essence may be fine to add to the wash and to clean things with... but don't put it in the dogs bath water!!

WHO WOULD HAVE THOUGHT!!!

[kamuzz]

I think I'm washing my dog the right way :rolleyes:

Step 1: Phone and book grooming appointment.

Step 2: Drop dog off at groomer's.

Step 3: Pay.

Step 4: Collect beautiful clean pooch.

Sounds like the way to go for me too, just a bit expensive with multiple dogs.

After grooming dogs for nearly 40 years I have learned a few things, you cannot get a dog properly clean washing in water that is too cool. I can pre set my temp and do all the dogs at 38c in winter and 37c in summer. I do not use full strength shampoo on the body ( only the feathering). Why anybody would use their fingernails to wash a dog is a mystery to me ( do we scratch our own scalps clean? no we massage with the balls of the fingers) It doesn't matter if you wash the hair in a different direction, that is absolute rubbish lol. Really the most important thing to me is thorough and continual rinsing until all trace of shampoo etc has gone. My dogs presentations have always been highly commended by Specialty judges and never have skin problems (never even seen the pimple things referred to earlier ) Also washing every week is not a problem if done correctly.

With the GSDs, I find that unless you go against the hair the water runs off the top and next to their skin stays dry.

[happie]

I wash my dog in warm water, like water I would wash my face with, and as soon as I stop the water to give her a massage I see her legs shivering! And this is in the bathroom with the door closed and no wind!

Also Im using the Groomers Product EPO shampoo and they recommend I was every 4 days for a while to get itchy skin under control. The oils need heat to sink into the skin so wouldnt it be a good thing if warm water opens the pores and lets the oils in? I dont think shampoo could get into the pores.

I read a lot of debate about how often dogs should be washed and Im confused! If I dont wash my dog for a month shes oily and smelly like if I dont wash my hair for a month.

[Ashka]

Dog gets bathed outside. I use Vetadine Iodine animal wash (from the Vet) in a soft bucket just large enough for the dog with slightly warm water. Soak dog well wiping face and ears with soft cloth. Lift out and let run around like a twit, finish drying with a soft towel. ~ comb.

No rinsing required, some white fur goes yellow/orange for a few hours. No itches and a clean shiny coat. No water wasted either as the dogs bedding is hand washed in the same water then hung outside to dry.

No set time period, just when necessary as he lives with us in our motorhome... slightly 'doggy' gets too much very quickly.

When we had a house the laundry tub was used.

Do like the sound of the "Pick up Phone" grooming but I've always done my own, pets & Showies.

Edited June 22, 2008 by Ashka

[tdierikx]

My girls got a bath yesterday... their first in about 12 months...

We then went to the off leash park where the little darlings found the first huge muddy puddle and wallowed in it... hahaha!

T.